University of Washington Drone Detection Success Story

How the University of Washington strengthened airspace awareness and campus security with AirWarden®.
About Husky Stadium

The Pacific Northwest’s
Largest Stadium

Home of UW Football
Located on the University of Washington (UW) campus, Husky Stadium is home to the Washington Huskies Big Ten football team. With 70,138 seats, it is the largest collegiate or professional stadium in the Pacific Northwest and ranks among the nation’s 15 largest campus facilities.
The venue hosts football games, graduation ceremonies, and other major events while supporting the Athletic Department’s mission to create a safe, enjoyable, and memorable experience for fans.
The Challenge

A Critical Airspace Gap

The 2022 Incident
During a football game in the 2022 season, an unidentified drone was spotted flying over Husky Stadium. This prompted officials to pause the game until the drone left the area. Due to poor visibility, the drone was difficult to track. The resulting delay lasted around 10 minutes, and spectators, TV viewers, and stadium employees were left confused and without answers.
A spokesperson for the University of Washington Athletic Department said of the drone incident, “We were blind as to where this drone was, and we didn’t have a way to respond. We had to pause the game with no information on when we could restart it.”
What UW Needed
After the drone incident occurred, the University of Washington began their investigation into drone detection solutions. They used a temporary detection system for the remainder of the 2022 football season but knew it would not be a long-term solution as it only detected one drone manufacturer and had been discontinued.
Upon the conclusion of the season, the University of Washington Athletic Department continued its search for a drone detection solution that provided real-time pilot location tracking, was easy to install without multiple installation points or bulky hardware, and was affordable.
THE SOLUTION

Detection Designed for the Real Event Environment

UW recognized the long-term importance of FAA Remote ID, which broadcasts drone identification and location information during flight, and decided its new detection solution should leverage this federal requirement.
After evaluating three vendors, UW selected AeroDefense’s AirWarden Remote ID as the only solution meeting all three criteria and installed it before the 2023 football season through a simple setup process.
AirWarden Installed in 2023
RESULTS

From Detection to Safe Resolution

During the 2023 Apple Cup, AirWarden identified two drone flights that breached the FAA’s one mile flight restriction zone at different points during gameplay. The system pinpointed the exact parking stall of each controller and alerted the Athletic Department and university police.
Within five minutes, police found both pilots, and both drones landed safely without delaying the game. University police also received system access and automated alerts, supporting future incident response across campus.
2 Drone Flights During One Game
Detected inside the FAA flight restriction zone
Exact Parking Stalls
Both controllers located
5-Minute Response
Both pilots found
CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY

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